Archive for

Posted on November 17th, 2011

Last night we were invited to dinner with our neighbour, Marie-Laurence and friend Marie-José, for a truffle evening. She lives in a beautiful renovated farmhouse at the other end of our field of truffle oaks. Dinner began with pumpkin soup and chestnuts, followed by scrambled eggs with truffles, finished off by cheese and clementines. All washed down with chateauneuf-du-pape and chablis. Four black truffles had been placed with the eighteen eggs in the refrigerator to infuse even greater flavour through the eggshells. Next the truffles must be cleaned of any soil residue before grating into the eggs. Great food, good wine and excellent company………………….

Posted on November 13th, 2011

At 11.00 am on Friday 11th November, small ceremonies took place in every village and town across France, as they do every year. A gentle, secular mark of respect for France’s fallen. In Goult, about fifty people listened to short speeches from schoolchildren representing all young persons. The mayor read a letter from President Sarkozy and three wreaths were laid. The old gentleman seated by the car wore his medals proudly, but became distressed when unable to stand for the Marseillaise.

Posted on November 3rd, 2011

Today we celebrate exactly one year in Provence. It has been wonderful. Everything we wanted and more.Highlights have been having so many good friends to visit; the four very different seasons; delightful courtesy and kindness from everyone we meet; excellent restaurants, food, wine and markets; beautiful countryside and villages; the way heritage is deeply valued; and living in a perfect old farmhouse. What more can one ask?

Posted on November 3rd, 2011

September/October was La Vendange, vintage time in Provence. Grape picking lasts for over a month, depending on grape type. First to be harvested are table grapes, usually muscat, which are protected by electric fences from night forays of sanglier, wild boar. High quality wine grapes are hand-picked. Seasonal workers at Domaine de Durban in Beaumes-de-Venise arrive from Morocco. Lower quality grapes are stripped from the vines by machine, then sent to wine co-operatives where quantity is as important as quality. In the 1930s, the owner of Chateau Maucoil in Chateauneuf du Pape delivered his wines 100km to Marseille by Peugeot truck.